Pastis is a great souvenir. Photo: cyclonebill
Nothing tastes better or more provencale, than a glass of pastis in the afternoon, before a hearty dish of bouillabaisse, or after dinner. For the love of Cheapo, when in Nice, please bring home a bottle of this delectable aperitif from the south of France. Cheers back home In 1915, absinthe, sometimes known as the “green fairy,” » Read more
Tee-browsing along the sidewalks of New York. Photo by John and Keturah
The “I (heart) NY” tee is a global phenomenon. Walk through any major European city and you’re bound to see one, two, or ten of the tees, known for their block lettering and bright red heart. For good reason, too. Nothing translates into “cheap souvenir” like buying five New York shirts for just $10! We (heart) souvenirs Created pro bono in 1977 » Read more
Over the past couple years we’ve developed pretty thick skin when discussing the weakness of the dollar versus the euro or British pound. Just this summer the euro hit an all-time high of $1.60, while the overwhelming strength of the pound introduced the budget traveler’s nightmare of $6 Cokes in London. My, how times have » Read more
Why is this man so happy and smiling at the camera? Is he: A.) Just glad it’s a nice, sun-shiney day in New York B.) Amazed that the windows in EuroCheapo’s office haven’t been cleaned in 2 years C.) Delighted to be the most recent “EuroCheapo Insider” D.) All of the above. If you » Read more
Street scene in Nicosia, Cyprus
Editor’s Note: This week, the blog has been tagging along with fellow Cheapo Alex Christodoulides as she visits family in Cyprus. NEW YORK—For the first 17 years of my life, my panorama of Cyprus was the inside of my relatives’ homes. We would arrive “apo Ameriki” and immediately begin a whirl of lunches and dinners » Read more
Nicosia rooftops
A rooftop view of Nicosia, Cyprus. Photo by Alex Christodoulides. Editor’s Note: This week, the blog will be tagging along with fellow Cheapo Alex Christodoulides as she visits family in Cyprus. NICOSIA, Cyprus—Nicosia has about a dozen churches of various styles and ages scattered through the walled part of the city, ranging from the Byzantine » Read more
Alex's aunt sets the table for a Cypriot family dinner.
Editor’s Note: This week, the blog will be tagging along with fellow Cheapo Alex Christodoulides as she visits family in Cyprus. Sure, the language spoken in Cyprus is Greek, but the accent is distinctive and so is the food. For one thing, Cyprus recently made its mark in the Guinness Book of World Records with » Read more
Editor’s Note: This week, the blog will be tagging along with fellow Cheapo Alex Christodoulides as she visits family in Cyprus. Cyprus is on a modernizing rampage, wrestling on one side with its fairly recent history of colonial domination by the British, and on another side with its newly acquired European Union membership, in its » Read more
Krakow's Market Square. Photo by Lars K. Jensen
People of Cheapo: low-priced communist-era souvenirs are legal for export from Krakow. After all, nothing will help you commemorate your trip to the city quite like a piece of Cold War nostalgia. Collectables for comrades Multiple open-air markets around the formerly-communist Krakow are a feast for bargain-hunters. Medals, pins, and statuettes featuring the many faces of Lenin can be » Read more
Travel is all about new experiences, whether in a museum, a castle, or a restaurant. In Dublin’s pubs, fish and chips always please, although it’s nothing new. But, behold brown sauce! It’s tangy, very Irish, and can be found in little packets… for free! Bring home a saucy surprise The “Chef” brand of brown sauce hit the commercial Irish » Read more
Shopping at Magasin du Nord. Photo: Kaspar C.
The designers of Denmark are renowned for their sleek and refined ideas. Bringing home some Danish wares can help you spice up your interior decor, from dressing up the bedroom to simplifying the kitchen. Although some pieces of Danish ingenuity can be very pricey, many smaller, easy-to-pack items won’t cost all of your kroners. Modest » Read more
The Scilly Isles. Photo © hidden europe
Okay Cheapos! Indulge us for two minutes. We’ve just been taking a break on an island full of surprises, a place so beguilingly beautiful that we think it’s worth a mention. There must be a thousand candidates for the accolade of “Europe’s most beautiful island.” One of our favorites is Gozo in the Med. Gozo » Read more
You can't help but giggle at the Manneken Pis. Photo: Phil Whitehouse
Almost every visitor to Brussels finds themselves at some point standing and smiling at the city’s famous “Manneken Pis” statue, which depicts a youngster cheerfully peeing into a fountain basin. Cheapo-friendly Manneken Pis memorabilia flood the streets of Brussels. While large statues can be expensive and too heavy to carry, smaller and cheaper versions are easy to pack » Read more
No trip to Barcelona is complete without picking up a little free (or almost-free) reminder of Gaudí, the city’s favorite architect. Happily, Barcelona is teeming with arty Gaudí souvenirs, ranging from the refined to the (you guessed it) gaudy. Take home some cheapo Gaudí Regarded as tasteless in his own time, Antoni Gaudí’s unique art nouveau ideas » Read more
Tourists visiting the ruins of ancient Athens will probably already be armed with a cheapo souvenir. Your archeological map (available for free or cheap) serves as both a necessary guide to the past and a fun souvenir for the future. Build your map collection in Athens Face it, if you’re planning to spend any time exploring Athens’ » Read more
A trip to a flower market in Amsterdam. Photo: Meg Marks
Amsterdam is fertile ground for free and almost-free souvenirs. While floral bouquets don’t travel well on an airplane (and may not be allowed!), seed packets and bulbs are both easy to pack, travel well, and will blossom back home. Plus, they’re totally cheap. (Please note: US Customs doesn’t want American tourists bringing home just any old » Read more
Editor’s Note: In our “Checking In” series, we interview hotel and B&B proprietors about tips for visiting their city. Today we “check in” with Dr. Ryan James, who runs the BudaBaB, a bed and breakfast in Budapest, Hungary, with his partner Ron Schmitz. Dr. James is also the author of Frommer’s Budapest and the Best » Read more
Pensione Papa Germano Via Calatafimi, 14 Rome, Italy Doubles: shared bath: €50-85, private bath: €65-110 The Pensione Papa Germano in Rome, Italy, is a tried and true friend to Cheapos. It ain’t fancy, but rooms are attractive and clean… and affordable, with doubles starting at €50. The best part? The owner, Papa himself, is as » Read more
Hotel les Chansonniers 113, Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris, France Doubles €55-68 We love scouting out small, quirky hotels in Paris. Happily, the city is full of independent, charming hotels that offer rooms at very reasonable rates. One that we have an especially deep “crush” on is Hotel les Chansonniers (“The Singers”). Located a bit off-the-beaten path, this » Read more
Locanda Casa Querini Castello 4388 – Campo San Zaninovo Venice, Italy Doubles: €93-197 Venice can be an tricky place to find reasonable accommodations. You dream of a room facing a canal, or at least something with a nice view. And, that will cost you. Thankfully, there are several hotels in our hotel guide to Venice where rooms with a » Read more
A reception set up in the ruins of St. Donatian's Church, now a Crowne Plaza. Photo by the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
For nearly one thousand years a massive stone church sat on Bruges’ Burg square. It was destroyed about 200 years ago, but parts of it remain today under a Crowne Plaza Hotel and can be visited for free. Bruges’ Underground Church Back around 900 AD, the city built a fort to protect itself from pesky Vikings who » Read more
Mozart memorial in Burggarten. Photo: Thomas M.
Ah, Vienna – land of sacher torte, carriage rides, and Mozart! The ringed city, we think, is best viewed on foot. While traditional tram rides provide a respite from hoofing it, if you want to experience the true Vienna, consider a themed walking tour. While tours through travel agencies could cost you anywhere from €10-20 » Read more
Photo by jamieca
While a visit to Stockholm’s Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet) requires a ticket, the palace’s guards put on a delightful daily floor show that won’t cost you a krona! The palace is located in the epicenter of Stockholm, perched above the charming island of Gamla Stan. The fact that the royal family no longer resides here shouldn’t » Read more
Flamenco at La Carboneria. Photo: Leszek Kozlowski
Flamenco dancing has its roots in the gypsy barrio of Seville. So, if this Southern Spanish city is on your travel itinerary, you’d better take yourself to a baile! Flamenco performances are offered all over Seville and typically take place in tablaos, which are restaurants or bars that charge admission for the show. It is possible, however, to catch a » Read more
Photo: James Williams
No trip to Salzburg is complete without at least a passing nod to “The Sound of Music,” the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical set in the city. The movie version, shot six years later, starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and included many scenes shot in Salzburg. Not surprisingly, the city’s tourism industry doesn’t » Read more
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